Shifted Vision Ministries: WARNING: SLIPPERY SURFACE

Shifted Vision Ministries: WARNING: SLIPPERY SURFACE: Recently I was on vacation with my family. It seems that everything we do always involves water and this trip brought us to the Comal River....

WARNING: SLIPPERY SURFACE

Recently I was on vacation with my family. It seems that everything we do always involves water and this trip brought us to the Comal River. I am a fraidy-cat so I always choose to get out and walk around the dangerous areas like rapids and shoots. In walking around something that I perceived as dangerous and trying to avoid getting hurt, I came across a sign painted on the cement that said: “Caution: Slippery Surface”.

I began thinking about how we as Christians can easily avoid the obvious dangers. We can see the dangers lurking ahead when it comes to infidelity, addiction, theft, murder…those are biggies that we can see and make course corrections to avoid. We don’t always avoid them and the closer we get to the actual core of the threat the current oftentimes catches us and we are caught up in the throes of it before we realize we are past the point of no return. Repentance and forgiveness are our only course if we choose to navigate away from the sin that has drawn us in.

There are times however that the course we choose to avoid a big sin can be a slippery surface as well. We can linger on the outside of the current of infidelity and skirt it with flirting. We can float along toying with drugs or alcohol and not even realize that we are losing control. We can easily stretch or exaggerate the truth not realizing that is the slippery slope of dishonesty. We can stock our home with office supplies from work, and not see ourselves as a thief.

You see, oftentimes “Big Sins” have definite warning signs that come along with them. Common sense brings the list of possible consequences to mind and we cautiously steer clear. The “small sins” are less obvious. We are lured to think that we can handle it or control them. We think the consequences aren’t that bad.

The truth is: in God’s eyes sin is sin, there are no ‘big sins’ or ‘small sins’, sin is simply sin. So the next time you realize you are gossiping, telling a little white lie, taking a tablet from the office, taking just one more pill, drinking just one more drink, flirting just one more time…you are on a slippery surface. That surface is the illusion of sin not being sin. I pray you are able to recognize it for what it is and heed the signs… “Caution: Slippery Surface”

Shifted Vision Ministries: Confessions of a Clinger

Shifted Vision Ministries: Confessions of a Clinger: Hello, my name is Tammy…and I’m a clinger! A few weeks back I posted a series of confessions on my Facebook Page. Confession...

Confessions of a Clinger

Hello, my name is Tammy…and I’m a clinger!

A few weeks back I posted a series of confessions on my Facebook Page.

Confession 1: I cling to recipe and cookbooks. I almost never use them, but the idea of letting them go isn't comfortable so I cling tighter. 

Confession 2: I can't get rid of books. They stay in cabinets and on shelves, but I just can't seem to part with them. I have converted closets into shelving spaces to hold the mountains of books that I cling to. It's not that I have plans to read them again- to be honest, many of them have never been read and probably never will. 

Confession 3: I LOVE bags! So much so that on some forums my user name is Diva Bag Lady. I have bins of bags. I am kind of a bag snob though, and I seem to use the same one or two until they are shreds... never touching the other ones. Even though I don't use the others, I seem to cling to and find comfort in the fact that they are there. I can't let them go. 

I believe that clinging is part of our great design, but because of a fallen and sinful world we get confused and cling to the wrong things.

Jeremiah recognized this tendency: “Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return.” (Jeremiah 8:5)

I’m not saying that my recipe books, bins of bags, and closets of books are idols but when I look at the definition of the word I honestly have to pause. The first definition of idol doesn’t convict me, but the second and third shake things up a bit.

Idol: 1. a. An image uses as an object of worship.

           b. A false God

        2. One that is adored, often blindly or excessively.

        3. Something visible but without substance.

Looking at the second definition I wonder what role my stuff plays for me. I adore my recipes, books, and bags. I don’t focus on them like Gollum in The Lord of The Rings as he hid in dark places stroking the ring and creepily stating “My Precious!”, but I definitely like them more than I should.

 

The third definition though is what got me. An idol is something that is visible, but without substance. I stated earlier that I cling to these things and find comfort in knowing they are there, but is it true comfort?  If it’s false comfort I have settled for, have these items taken the place of God in parts of my life? Have they become idols?

In Psalm 63:8 David cried out, “I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.” God is who I am to cling to. In clinging to Him, and not stuff, I can be truly comforted by my Father in heaven who is the great comforter.

I’m not telling you to go through and start purging the things you cling to. I am asking you to seek within yourself what you hope to gain by clinging to the stuff that clutters your world. From this day forward, I want to cling to God above all.

That being said; does anyone need some recipe books?